The Devil in the Details

Berean Baptist on December 18, 2017

Satan is an intriguing character, is he not? It is with guarded interest that we delve into the subject of Satan because it is possible to become too fascinated with him until the interest itself becomes a snare he can use to lure us in and captivate our thoughts. Many have become too interested in the details of the occult and of the supernatural. People have always been enchanted with the spiritual world which has led many to delve too far into the subject to the detriment of their eternal souls. As Paul said, we are not ignorant of his devices. This should keep us at arm’s length when we investigate the Bible’s descriptions of him.

In light of this, what I am about to say may see strange. Each of us should have profound respect for Satan’s capabilities. We do not admire them for their virtues since he has none, but we do respect the craftiness by which he deceives. Like a man has respect for the quick strike and deadliness of a cobra, so we should respect Satan’s prowess. His counter wisdom in all ways of evil is unparalleled in the spiritual world. No person possesses the power to outwit him. Indeed, he was brazen enough to approach our Lord with temptation. If not for Jesus’ complete reliance on the Holy Spirit for His protection, we might well perceive that Jesus the man would have given in to Satan’s offers. While we do not believe Jesus was capable of sinning, we do believe God used means to protect Him. The means unfailingly kept Him from sin because He is God, but to tempt God certainly speaks to Satan’s confidence in his ability.

Jesus never dismissed Satan out of hand. He first took him to the Word of God to dispel any hope of his success. The Scriptures are also our means for nothing is accomplished against Satan without the power of the Word. I believe the temptation is the Bible’s most formidable example of Satan’s power. It is interesting that no demon ever challenged Jesus like Satan. Even thousands of them begged for a measure of mercy when they were cast out of the Gadarian maniac. Satan boldly approaches God as he did in his accusations against Job.

None of this speaks to any real threat to God’s supremacy. Satan’s courage in the face of God belies his uncommon wisdom. While he deludes us, no doubt his greatest deception is perpetrated upon himself. He is relentless in his pursuit of God’s throne without understanding he is more of a pawn in God’s scheme than he makes us to be in his. God is setting Satan up for a destruction that will exalt God in ways that could never be accomplished by any other means. Satan’s destruction will cry out a confession of the one true living God. God has never done anything that does not redound to His glory, so you can be sure this present time of putting up with the devil will find out the ultimate greatness of God.

God continues to tell us to fear Satan. He tells us to walk circumspectly with eyes always scanning for places the devil might attack. Even though God promised to defeat Satan, the danger is real. Satan’s potency teaches us to fully depend upon God, which is God’s way of using Satan to strengthen His people rather than demoralize them. We can defeat the devil now in this life, but only with God’s help.

All the myths you hear about him are part of Satan’s disguise. He uses them to throw us off track. Chasing the myths divert us from the truth about him. This will get you in trouble if you are too interested in the wrong details.

 

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Goofy gods

Berean Baptist on April 3, 2017

Psalm 82

A few weeks ago I was sitting in my home office working on my Sunday sermon when I heard the doorbell ring. One of the reasons I work mostly from home is the lack of interruptions which greatly facilitates my productivity. I was not really pleased to go to the door especially when I could see through the sidelight of the doorframe there were two Mormons that were anxious to grab my attention. I related a little of this story before in some of my messages, but I was reminded again of my conversation with these two when I prepared Psalm 82 for our congregational reading.

I have always felt the best way to deal with Mormons is not to give them much chance to talk. Instead, I ask a lot of questions and as soon as I hear something a little odd I let them know they are way off track. When you keep hammering them, they begin to squirm. Many times one of them is in training and he’s the one I want to pick on. One of the questions I asked was, “Do you believe that you will become a god?”

Most Mormons do not like to have their doctrine exposed until they have had a chance to dupe their hearers into thinking they are orthodox Christians. Joseph Smith (no relation!), the founder of the Mormon cult, said that God was once a man just like us. His basic teaching was that people were pre-existent spirits that were sent to earth to learn and be enlightened and enlarged until they come to the place they can be gods.

I asked these two Mormon fellows if they believed that hellish doctrine to which they replied they did. The more inexperienced of the two went for his King James Bible to find his support verse but before he could find it, I quoted it for him. I knew where he was going because Mormons use Psalm 82:6 as a proof-text for their heretical teaching. The scripture says: “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.” Last week I wrote of the danger of pulling scripture out of context, which is a common tactic of cults and others that have little to no support for their doctrines. Most people would look at this verse without knowledge of scripture and would think the Mormons are on to something.

What did God mean when He referred to His listeners as gods? This is actually a reference to the rulers of the people who stand in the place of God to mete out justice. This is explained in Exodus 21:6 where the Hebrew word for judges is the same as the word gods in Psalms 82:6: “Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever” (Exodus 21:6). Romans 13 also teaches that rulers are ordained by God. The point in Psalm 82 is that all rulers will give an account to God for their stewardship. If they have dealt unjustly (82:1-2), God will strike them down. In the 7th verse, God says they will all die like ordinary men.

I never got far enough with these Mormons to have them answer to the Hebrew text. By this time they were too flustered with forty other questions I asked. Mormon doctrine is easily exposed when you compare scripture with scripture. The unorthodox heretical teachings of the Mormons is blasphemy. If someone tells you it is possible to be God and God was a mortal like you, be ready to slam the door. Second John tells you how to deal with them: “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

Most of us like to be nice to people. I prefer to make these charlatans as uncomfortable as I can. Do everything possible to discourage them.  Who knows—the next person may be caught in their trap. False prophets are not nice people. A clean-cut young man with a Bible under his arm may be a demon in disguise. Don’t fool yourself into thinking otherwise.

Pastor V. Mark Smith